2011 boat projects?

[Metal Manipulator]

Age has most to do with it. Most of my years fishing I fished by myself. My main style of fishing was fly fishing. During those years one of my favorite things to do was take my pontoon boat down the Nestuca river during the summer catching cutthroats. Loads of fun. I spent many hours chasing steelhead with the fly a very nice solitary way of spending the day.

 

[SilverBullets]

I'm in the process of trying to make ready my little fly fishing pontoon into a kokanee chasing boat. There are many challenges in this but I just love the idea of having a little one man fish killing machine. Not sure how well it will pay off when the weather is still a little cold but I'll have to learn if I'm still man enough to take such adventures. Anybody out there ever considered doing anything like that?

I take mine out for kokes once in a while. I've got it rigged up with a Optima blue top battery, fishfinder, electric motor, a couple Scotty rod holders and a homemade anchor/downrigger system. It's got around 100 feet of small diameter rope on a spool that's rigged up with a handle. When stationary jigging I attach a 10lb anchor and for trolling I attach a 6lb ball. When useing it as a downrigger I mount it to a oar lock and put few loops in the rope to tie off for my target depths. When it's used as an anchor it mounts to a rod holder bracket on the back rail. Here's a picture of the toon...I also made a way to wheel it down to the lake once it's fully loaded up.

 

[mrmike]

well Mr Metal Maniputor you have more storage in your boat then we have in are kitchen mrmike

 

[Koke-n-a-smile]

While not on par with the Metal Manipulator, I installed a second manual DR, and a new Humminbird FF with GPS.

 

[skookum9]

Metal Manipulator,
It sounds like there's a lot I'd like to learn from you. I haven't fished the Nestuc since all the big road washouts. I'd love to learn to entice a few steelies to a fly but I think I need to stick with smaller waters to do that. That river has a lot of flow to be able to read it well enough to place a fly where it should be. My respect and admiration for your ability to do so. If you ever feel interested in teaching some of what you know to someone like me, please let me know, I'd be very interested in learning.

SilverBullets,
Sounds like you've set your 'toon up for some good times. I love the idea of the control that you gain with an electric motor but between the weight and the longetivity, I've chosen to stay with a gas motor. I really like my 4hp motor but I've also got it ready to go with the 9.5 in the event of taking it on bigger waters. When and where do you take yours for koke's? It would be a lot of fun to catch up to you someday on the same water. I'm hoping to try Wickiup with it this year. I probably can't make the opener this weekend but I am hoping maybe the next weekend will have opportunities for me. Plan on using the Whaler to hit Odell on the 14th and 15th. Maybe I'll see you out on one of those waters this spring. Was worried that a kidney stone was going to stop me but just had it surgically removed tonight and so I'm back on track to having some really good times. If you're gonna be at one of those lakes and you see me, be sure and say howdy.

 

[Pogue]

I'm still trying to turn my 1964 16' Aristocraft "funliner" into a Defiance Admiral 220EX!

 

[Metal Manipulator]

Pogue

You are going to have to post pics for to have any idea what your are working on. Can't wait to see.

 

[Pogue]

You are going to have to post pics for to have any idea what your are working on. Can't wait to see.

There would be lots of cutting going on

 

[Pogue]

From this..... to that!

 

[Metal Manipulator]

Wow that is right. Could probably build one from scratch faster. Eo you have a mold for the deck and cabin?

 

[SuperD]

MM, he was being sarcastic about the project. Making an old, small boat into a bigger & newer boat. I'm sure he purchased a boat stretcher too. ;-)

 

[Pogue]

MM - based on what I can tell from the pics of what you've done to your ride, if this could be done, you'd probably be the only one who could do it!

 

[Full_Monte]

I swapped out some lights on two trailers with LED's, and was not happy with them at all!! They only worked for about 2 months before they started going out. They are pretty expensive and didn't last long. I ended up replacing them with standard lights. 2cents

Pogue,

What brand LED tail-lights were you installing? I just put on Optronics, thinking they would last forever. Haven't tried them out yet.

 

[Full_Monte]

Refitting a new-to-me boat. New batteries, onboard battery charger, two engines serviced. New wheels and tires, will add 2 downriggers for a total of four, drained all old gas in tank. Installed new finder/gps. Windshield wiper...didn't come with one. Wireless remote for Minn Kota..didn't have one.
Locks on all wheels, tongue, engines. I'm sure I forgot half of it.

 

[Pogue]

Pogue,

What brand LED tail-lights were you installing? I just put on Optronics, thinking they would last forever. Haven't tried them out yet.

F_M,

I thought those would work forever also, maybe I just got some duds (2 sets?) I'm not 100%, but I THINK they were Grote ind.??? I only came to this conclusion by lookin online at pics of LED light kits. The ones I had were round. I see the Optronics are rectangular. Good luck with them! I do see alot of trailers with them its just my luck I guess.

Rob

 

[skookum9]

Looks like I might get the chance to try out my new modifications this weekend at Wickiup. Grandkids not coming over so I'm taking my Bible with me to the water to have a special Easter experience this year. Happy Easter to you all!

 

[skookum9]

Okay, minor setback. Looks like my new project won't be hitting the water this weekend. But at least I'm still going to take the Whaler out anyway. Just not enough time to work all of the last minute bugs out of my pontoon system. Next time I should be ready to try it out. Maybe we'll see a couple of you die-hards out there on the water.

 

[Full_Monte]

F_M,

I thought those would work forever also, maybe I just got some duds (2 sets?) I'm not 100%, but I THINK they were Grote ind.??? I only came to this conclusion by lookin online at pics of LED light kits. The ones I had were round. I see the Optronics are rectangular. Good luck with them! I do see alot of trailers with them its just my luck I guess.

Rob

Interesting...I thought Grote was one of the better and most expensive brands.

 

[lowe1648mt]

Led light failures

F_M,

I thought those would work forever also, maybe I just got some duds (2 sets?) I'm not 100%, but I THINK they were Grote ind.??? I only came to this conclusion by lookin online at pics of LED light kits. The ones I had were round. I see the Optronics are rectangular. Good luck with them! I do see alot of trailers with them its just my luck I guess.

Rob

I found a few dud led lights over the years. About 1/2 were related to too tight mounting bolts. The other half were split between poor sealed construction, and bad wiring conections( butt connecters, scotch locks, or bad ground).
too tight mounting bolts crack the case on the back.they usually work until they hit the water.

 

[BROWNBAGGER]

I inherited a 1959, 17 ft Crestliner. I was the last person to fish in it with my great uncle in 1985. It has sat ever since. Last year started digging in to it with cleaning it up and rebuilding a 1964 Evinrude 40 horse, (from parts). This year adding paint, downriggers, new top, seat covers, and thinking about putting in hard wood floors instead of Plywood. I rewired for new electronics through out. Just need to find the right FF. I do have 2 older Humminbirds. I also added 3 ft to the tongue of the trailer, new wire and lights, and working out new bunks at this time. I wanted to keep it vintage as I could with motor selection so as I said before there is a 1964, 40 horse and 1961, 5.5 horse kicker. I will get pic as soon as it quits raining.[/QUOTE

Do you have pics of your boat, I would like to see. My first boat was a 1957 fleetliner that my grandpa bought in oregon. I wish I still had it to restore. One day someone was helping my mom move stuff in the back yard and they commented on that cool boat, AND SHE GAVE IT TO THEM. Oh well. the motor was something else too. It was a 70hp merc outboard that was direct drive. Meaning I had to stop it and restart it in reverse to back up. I started my first kokanee fishing on that old boat long lining it, then mounted my first homemade down riggers. It had those old school bows that was almost straight up and down and had a deep curl. It had a hard top with a spash windshield on top of that and long oval windows...we doubt it the SS Minnow.